Gorean Dictionary: C

cage, plastic (noun): a means of exhibiting slave girls outside a slaver's establishment, suspended from the roof of the portico or in a tier of cages with a comely wench inside.

Camerius (noun): the third month of the Gorean calendar (in Ar and some other cities).

camisk (noun): simple, slave garment, about 18" wide: simple rectangle of cloth, containing in its center, a circular opening, worn like a poncho, belted with binding fiber or a light chain, flanks and brand are bared.

camisk, Turian (noun): a style of camisk worn by slaves in Turia. it consists of a piece of cloth shaped like an inverted 'T' with a beveled crossbar; it fastens behind the neck & falls before the wearer's body; the crossbar then passes between her legs & is then brought forward snugly at the hips; it is held in place by a single cord that binds it at the back of the neck, behind the back, & in front at the waist.

canjellne (verb): Gorean word for challenge.

capture knot (noun): a knot recognized for it's unique turnings as rope or binding fiber tied by a Warrior. usually used in the capture of a slave girl but also used on any likely foe.

capture scent (noun): like chloroform, it is used to sedate, emediately, a person who is forced to breath it.

Carnarium (noun): refuse pit outside the walls of Ar.

carpet plant (noun): a plant of the rain forest area inland of Schendi, having tendrils that are sometimes used as a source of drinking water.

cart (direction): a gorean compass point equivalent to south west; the river Cartius was so named because of it's direction from Ar southwest.

cart, leather-slung fee (noun): a public or rented 'coach' for transportation of passengers with seats facing each other. Its carriage is suspended by strong leather which causes a swaying, many times bringing on motion-sickness for passengers. Large hides are often suspended underneath to store items, as is a grease bucket for greasing the axles.

Cartius River (noun): broad, fast-flowing tributary that flows into the Vosk river far to the south and west of Ar. It is composed of three rivers, the Cartius Proper, Subequatorial Cartius, and Thassa Cartius.

Casmu Band (noun): a sub-group of the Yellow Kaiila Riders.

Caste Codes (noun): ethical teachings of Gor whose origins are lost in antiquity.

Caste Sanctuary (noun): similar to seeking Sanctuary in a church. in times of need a caste member can ask for sanctuary under another caste member's roof.

Caste, System (noun): rigid social structure which is conferred by birth on Goreans except for slaves, outlaws, and Initiates. There are 5 high castes (Initiates, Scribes, Builders, Physicians, Warriors), privileged by their status to be privy to Double Knowledge, unlike the many lower castes (tradesmen, craftsmen, artisans, artists, etc.) who may know only First Knowledge. Governments are elected and administered by High Caste members only. The Caste is a source of life long pride and brotherhood. The welfare of the Caste takes precedent over individual members. It is possible to change caste, but it is rarely done. To lose Caste is the ultimate in dishonor.

cat's cradle (noun): a popular game. girls faced one another, kneeling, and, with string and their fingers, played an intricate cat's-cradle game. Northern girls, incidentally, were very skilled at this game.

chain luck (noun): the attempt to capture a slave girl without having a particular target in mind.

chalwar (noun): high tight vest of silk (normally red), with 2 - 4 hooks, leaving midriff bare; the sashed chalwar is a sashed, diaphanous trousered garment, full but gathered in, closely at the ankles.

chamber slave (noun): slave of the Priest Kings restricted to use within a particular chamber; these slaves cannot leave the chamber and are to serve the Freeperson living there fully.

Char (noun): a minor tribe of the Tahari; they are a vassal tribe of the Kavars.

chatka (noun): long narrow strip of black leather, fits over the curla in the front, passes under, and then again, from the inside, passes over the curla in the back, worn by the slave girls of the Wagon Peoples.

Chocolate (noun): same as Earth chocolate.  Originally brought over on a voyage of acquisition.

Chronometers (noun): (rare and valuable) variety of devices used to keep time; - (marked or calibrated) candles, sun dials, sand glasses, clepsydras, and oil clocks.

Cities of Dust (noun): the Gorean land of the dead, or underworld.

clad Kajir (phrase): among the Wagon Peoples, this phrase refers to slaves who wear four articles; the curla, chatka, kalmak and koora.

clock, Kaissa sand (noun): a device used for timing kaiisa moves, it has a spigot arrangement to enable the flow of sand. When it is open for one player, it is off for the other. Each player enables it, as his play is completed.

clock, oil (noun): mentioned as an example of the chronometer technology available on Gor.

clock, sand (noun): large, cylindrical and re-set at midnight, the twentieth ahn.

clock, water (noun): mentioned, but not described.

Code of the Warrior (noun): a creed characterized by a rudimentary chivalry emphasizing loyalty to the Pride Chiefs and the Home Stone; warrior's are expected to know and live by it's dictates.

coffle (noun): a method of chaining a line of slaves together for trekking; common methods are to link the slaves by the left ankle left wrist or throat. the line of slaves itself is sometimes called a 'slaver's necklace'.

Coin Girl (noun): a slave girl who, with a coin box and triangular flat bell chained around her neck, is sent out in the streets of a city to earn money from masters in return for her sexual use.

coin merchant (noun): terminology for all gorean bankers, ranging from the the fellow sitting on a rug in his booth on the street to the financial institutions on the 'Street of Coins'.

coffle (noun): a method of chaining a line of slaves together for trekking; common methods are to link the slaves by the left ankle, left wrist, or throat; also, the line of slaves itself.

collar (noun): any of several iron or steel devices that fit around the neck of a slave; in Torvaldsland, they are of iron, hinged, and fastened with a rivet.

collar, types (noun): there are many types of collars on Gor.   to see a representation of them please refer to the silks and accessories area of this webpage.

Collaring Feast (noun): a private feast for a young tarnsman and his family and friends; held to celebrate the capture of his first slave girl; during it, the girl formally submits to him as his slave, then proceeds to serve him at the Feast and afterwards in his quarters.

Companionship Price (noun): the gift, in money or goods, given by a man to the father of the woman he wishes to take in Free Companionship.

con (conj.): Gorean term meaning "from".

contasta (adv.; lit. 'from the founding of'): means of determining chronology; equivalent to the Earth term AD (Anno Domini).  Most often used as "Contasta Ar" (From the founding of Ar) supposedly the oldest Gorean city.

Contests of Arms (noun): gladiatorial contests where men fought to the death were banned in Ar when Kazrak of Port Kar became administrator of that city.

copper tarsk (noun): one of the many units of coinage. 10 tarsk bits equal one copper tarsk.

Cos (noun): 400 pasangs west of Port Kar, hundred pasangs north of Tyros, many terraces in which ta-grapes are grown, level fields to her west, lofty island, capital city - Telnus.

Cosian Wingfish (noun): tiny, delicate fish, blue, about the size of a tarn disk; has three or four slender spines in its dorsal fin, which are poisonous; it is capable of hurling itself from the water and, for brief distances, on its stiff pectoral fins, gliding through the air, to evade the smaller sea-tharlarions, which seem to be immune to the poison of the spines. Is also sometimes referred to as the songfish because, as a portion of it’s courtship rituals, the males and females thrust their heads from the water and utter a sort of whistling sound; is found only in the waters of Cos. Larger varieties are found farther out to sea. Is regarded as a great delicacy, it’s liver as the delicacy of delicacies.

Cosians (noun): gangs of youth in Ar who affect cosian garmets and haircuts.

Couching Law (law): Any free woman who couches with another`s slave, or readies for such, becomes, by law, the property of said slaves owner. An Arian law.

Council of Captains (noun): The governing body of the city of Port Kar.

coup (noun): the complicated ranking of battle exploits by the Red Savage tribes. The coup earned by an individual are reflected in the feathers and adornment to which he is entitled. Interestingly, killing the enemy ranks far beneath the besting of an enemy. A first warrior who strikes an armed enemy with an open hand is rewarded with the first coup; the 2nd and 3rd man to accomplish this would receive 2nd and 3rd coup. Killing an enemy with a bow and arrow from ambush might be counted as only a fifth or seventh coup. The counting or tallying of coup within the tribe determines his entitlement to certain advantages.

courage scar (noun): A facial marking of the warrior of the Wagon Peoples. This scar is the first one applied and without it no other scars can be applied. Each scar is placed by members of the Clan of Scar Makers. The can be read by each tribe of the Wagon Peoples as easily as one reads a newspaper. Each scar represents an act of courage and honor in the wearer's life. The Courage Scar is the highest and most important.

Cross Bow (noun): A rather unpopular Gorean weapon among warriors.

curla (noun): the red waist cord worn by slave-girls of the Wagon Peoples; supports the chatka.

Cur-lon Fiber (noun): fiber spun by the Swamp Spiders (Spider People) and used in the textile mills of Ar.

Curulean (noun): the most prestigious slave auction house in the city of Ar.

cylinder (noun): the primary architectural form of buildings in major Gorean cities; they are of varying heights and colors, flat-topped and cylindrical, connected by narrow, colorful bridges that arch between them.

cymbals (noun): There are various sorts similar to the ones found on Earth.

czehar (noun): eight strings, like a large flat oblong box; held across the lap when sitting, is played with a horn pick.